Raducanu sheds light on situation
British tennis star Emma Raducanu was forced to retire during the second set of her Wimbledon match against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic. She said this was due to ‘difficulty breathing’. However, this was not good enough for John McEnroe who did not mince his words when discussing her withdrawal. But Raducanu has now responded, clarifying the situation for fans and critics alike.
Whatever happens, Emma Raducanu, you are an absolute star and I absolutely ADORE watching you!
A British legend in the making!💫#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/KHrPvbd9uI
— Cathie (@CathieROfarrell) July 5, 2021
‘I feel bad for Emma, I mean obviously, it got – it appears it got a bit too much, as is understandable, particularly what we’ve been talking about for the last six weeks.
‘How much can players handle? It makes you look at the guys that have been around and the girls for so long, how well they can handle it. These guys that can keep their composure and the girls out there are absolutely amazing – so we have to appreciate the players that are able to do it so well and hopefully she will learn from this experience.’
Of course, Piers Morgan has an opinion on the matter:
McEnroe told the truth. Ms Raducuna’s a talented player but couldn’t handle the pressure & quit when she was losing badly. Not ‘brave’, just a shame. If I were her, I’d tell my fans to stop abusing McEnroe, & seek his advice on how to toughen up & become a champion like he was. https://t.co/zS06yevfav
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 6, 2021
Journalist Harriet Minter sums up what many are saying:
Listening to the John McEnroe commentary about Emma Raducanu. Two things: 1. Is he drunk? 2. Is there anything more annoying than a man telling a woman she’s not hurt she’s just emotional? No, no there isn’t. Please ask him to stop. #Wimbledon
— Harriet Minter (@HarrietMinter) July 5, 2021
Raducanu has now responded herself, posting a statement on Twitter alongside an image of herself.
thank you for the support❤️ pic.twitter.com/C47TTvOQK9
— Emma Raducanu (@EmmaRaducanu) July 6, 2021
“I wanted to let everyone know that I am feeling much better this morning. First up, I want to congratulate Aijla on an incredible performance and I’m sorry our match ended the way it did. I was playing the best tennis of my life in front of an amazing crowd this week and I think the whole experience caught up with me,” reads the statement.
“At the end of the first set, after some super intense rallies, I started to breathe heavily and felt dizzy. The medical team advised me not to continue and although it felt like the hardest thing in the world not to be able to finish my Wimbledon on the court, I was not well enough to carry on. I want to thank the people who have cheered me on every single match, I wanted to win so badly for you!”
